New landscape agency Natural England faces crunch time

Natural England, the government’s new landscape agency, faces a critical test as it takes on responsibility for agri-environment schemes, experts have warned.

Due to be launched on Monday (2 October), the flagship agency unites for the first time in a single body responsibility for landscape protection with the promotion of public access to the countryside.

Under its remit, Natural England will administer environmental agreements held by more than 40,000 farmers. These are currently overseen by the Rural Development Service and English Nature, which is being abolished.

The launch of Natural England illustrates the increasing importance placed on farmers as land managers rather than as food producers. But stakeholders said it could prove difficult to protect the landscape while enabling farmers to make a living.

Farm leaders believe schemes such as Environmental Stewardship are in danger of being under-funded. Just weeks before it was due to launch, Natural England was ordered to cut its budget by £12m as part of a DEFRA drive to save £200m.

“The biggest question hanging over the environment schemes is the level of funding the Treasury will provide – now and in the future,” said David Fursdon, president of the Country Land and Business Association.

Conservationists also questioned whether the agency would meet its objectives. Martin Harper, head of government affairs at the RSPB, said: “A critical test of its success will be its ability to help meet government targets for nature conservation.”

He added: “It will need sufficient resources, in particular to encourage wildlife-friendly farming. This is dependent on DEFRA and the Treasury agreeing adequate funding for both entry-level and higher-level Environmental Stewardship schemes.”

The government claims farmers will find it simpler to get funding, help and advice from the new agency. It wants 60% of England’s farmland to be under Environmental Stewardship by the end of 2007 – a target to which the agency has agreed.

Natural England deputy chairman Poul Christensen said it was impossible to shed any light on long-term funding arrangements. But he said the government was committed to environmental schemes that relied largely on European money.

“We must press – and we will press – the government to ensure that adequate money is transferred so we can fund these schemes into the future and deliver the environment that everybody wants and that, in my opinion, is essential.”